Smart Power: Russia Really Not Interested In Sanctions On Iran

I think Hillary! was overcharged for her "Reset" button.

Russia pushed back Tuesday at U.S. efforts to threaten tough new sanctions if Iran fails to prove its nuclear program is peaceful, a setback to the Obama administration's desire to present a united front with Moscow.

After meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow believed that such threats would not persuade Iran to comply and that negotiations should continue to be pursued.

"At the current stage, all forces should be thrown at supporting the negotiating process," he told reporters at a joint news conference with Clinton. "Threats, sanctions and threats of pressure in the current situation, we are convinced, would be counterproductive."

...Clinton, who met later with Medvedev, said she had not asked for Moscow's specific support for actually imposing sanctions. But U.S. officials said they were disappointed that Lavrov had come out against even the threat of new penalties.

One senior official traveling with Clinton said the U.S. continued to believe it is critical to get tangible signs of support from Moscow for at least considering new sanctions because the more united they are, the more likely pressure on Iran is to work. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration thinking.

Sergey? Hello? Three words...Nobel Peace Prize. What the hell is the problem here? It's like you think Russia has national interests (which include stymieing the US whenever possible) and aren't willing to give them up because Obama is, well, not George Bush.

That sound you hear? The Iranians laughing as they get their 'secret' enrichment site ready for the big inspection.

posted by DrewM. at 12:26 PM

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